Apparatus for spraying spirally grooved cylindrical articles



Dec. 16, 1958 E. T. STOCKER 2,864,334

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING SPIRALLY GROOVED CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed July21, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 1 .Z/ VVEN 717A? ETETUEKE F Dec. 16, 1958 E. T.STOCKER 2,364,334

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING SPIRALLY GROOVED CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed July21, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 2 2 IN VEN 17/; 5. 7.- STUD/(5Q Dec. 16, 1958 E.T. STOCKER 7 2,864,334

APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING SPIRALLY GROOVED CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES Filed July21, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I J'NvE/v 7m 5. r5 TUE/(5A7 Il/II spray unitpositioning means;

United States Patent f APPARATUS. FOR SPRAYING SPIRALLY GROUVED DR CALARTHCLE Edward T. Stocker, Groveland, Mass., assiguor to WesternElectric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y'., v a corporation of NewYork- This invention relates to spraying apparatus, particularlyapparatus for spraying portions of articles while rotating.

During the manufacture of certain types of transformers for use in thecommunication arts, cylindrical articles or forms of fused quartz, ofdilferent sizes so that one may fit within another, are provided withspiral grooves on their external surfaces. These spiral grooves arefilled with copper to produce desired transformer windings. Toaccomplish this by an electrolytic process it is necessary that thespiral grooves be provided with a thin coating of a suitable conductivematerial. --The material preferred is silver paste but owing to theexceedingly small dimensions of the spiral g-rooves'and the surfacesthereof, there remained the problem of satisfactorily coating thesesurfaces with the suitable material and leaving the major portions ofthe grooves vacant or unfilled uniformly to receive the desired amountof copper.

The object of the invention is the solution -to this problem by theprovision of a spraying apparatus'which is simple in structure,substantially automatic in opera tion and highly efficient in uniformlyspraying material upon surfaces of an article. 7

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises anapparatus for sprayingmaterial on aperipheral portion of an articleduring rotation of the article.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the article is provided witha spiral groove having opposing surfaces. The article is rotated andadvancedaxially in one direction relative to a spray unit to spray:one-of the surfaces of the spiral groove, after which, there isactuation of mechanisms to reverse the directionofrotation and thedirection of travel of the articleand also to shift the spray unit todirect the material toward the other surface of the spiral grooven Theapparatusis arranged so that after a sprayed article is removed from therotating mandrel or holder and another mounted thereon, the operatorneed only actuate a lever-and-the apparatus will begin its cycle ofoperation 'inone direction, complete that half cycle, reverse the actioniof the article rotating and advancing means and shiftthe spray nozzleto complete the other half oftheoperating cycle.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of -theaapparatus;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional-.views of-the Fig. '6 is aschematic illustration of the means of the apparatus; 1

Fig. 7 is thefragmentary isometric-view of the hand control lever;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged top plan view-of -a finished article; Fig. 9 is anenlarged fragmentary sectional-view of air operating an articleillustrating the relative pos'itions of the spray 2,854,334 PatentedDec. 16, 19 53 "ice unit during the two half cycles of operation of theapparatus;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the article at thecompletion of the spraying operation; -Fig. 11 is a schematicillustration of a master valve; and,

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of a portion of thespray unit.

Referring now to the drawings, attention is directed first to an article15 which is one of different sizes of articles cylindrical in generalcontour and having spiral grooves 16 formed in the periphery thereof.The grooves 16 in actual structure, have side surfaces 17 and 18 and aninner connecting surface 19. These are the surfaces which are to becoated with silver or another suitable material by the sprayingapparatus. The articles 15 are of different sizes and for this reasonremovable adaptor bushings 20, receivable in the articles 15 haveapertures 21 adapted to receive the end of a mandrel 25 and thereby tobe removably placed on the mandrel. The mandrel 25 of the apparatus hasa threaded portion 26 and a square portion 27. The threaded portion 26extends through a stationary nut 28 supported in an aperture of avertical member 29 of a main support 30. A collar 31 fixed to themandrel 25 at the juncture of'the threaded portion 26 and the squareportion, 27 is rotatable in an aperture in a carriage 33 and providesthe means to cause lateral movement of the carriage 3,3 during axialmovement of the mandrel 25. The square portion 27 of the mandrel extendsthrough a square aperture in a gear 34 which is one of a train of gears34, 35, 36 and 37. The gear 37, in reality, is a pinion mounted on ashaft 39 of a fluid motor 40. The gear 361s an idler rotat7 able upon aspindle 41 supported by another vertical member 42. of the main frame30. The gear 35 (Figs.

2 and 6) isv mounted on a cam shaft 43 which carries a cam 44 for apurpose hereinafter described.

The carriage '33 is fixed to a cam rod, 45 supported in any. suitablemanner for longitudinal movement and carrying a cam 46 of the contourshown particularly in Figs. 3., 4 and 5. A spray unit indicatedgenerally at 48 is mounted on an outer end of a swinging arm 49 theinner end of which is integral witha hollow spindle 47 (Figs. 3, 4 and 5A spray unit 48 is fixedly mounted on an outer end of an arm 49, theinner end of the arm being integral with a member 50 having centrallyaligned apertures 51 and 52 therein. Ahollow spindle 47","circular incross section is welded to a vertical member 53 offlthe main support 30and is adapted to rockably support the member 50. A pin 54 extendsthrough the hollow spindle and aperture 52 of the member 50, the upperend .of the pin being secured to one end of an arm.55, while the lowerend of. the pin extends through a spring. 56 and has a foot 57 fixedthereto. The foot 57 of thepin 54 is forced by the spring 56 .to ride onthe cam 44 and vibrated or repeatedly reciprocated by the cam duringrotation of the shaft 43. The aim .55 extends around the spray unit 48and is connected at its other end to a pin 58 of an agitator 59. The pin58 extends through an aperture in a cover 59 of a receptacle 60 formaterial 61 so that the material to be sprayed on the article may bekept thoroughly mixedat all, times during operation of the apparatus.

The-member 50 of the supporting means for the spray unit,- has alever-like finger 62 integral therewith the outer end of which isconnected to one end of a stabilizingsprin'g'63, the other end of thespringbeing fixed at 64 to the vertical member 29. The member 59 has aprojection 67 normally held in the position shown in Fig. 4 by the.stabilizing spring ,63 but movable in either direction as illustrated inFigs. 3 and 5 when the cam 46' is moved in-thedirections oftherarrows inthose figure Th spray unit 48 includes the conventional gun type struc-.ture 68 actuable by a trigger 69 to admit air under pressure from an airline 70 through its nozzle 71 and to thereby draw material 61 from thereceptacle 60 throughline 72. The line 72 is a metal pipe of suflicientstrength: to connect the receptacle to the nozzle -71 and themainstructure of the spray to thereby support the receptacle for movementwith the spray unit. Thetrigger .69iis under the control of a plunger 73of a normally unopa erated unit 74. i

The carriage 33 supports a cam 76, having a high por-. tion 77 foroperating a normally closed valve 78 through its roller supportingplunger 79 and a diagonal portion 80 to operate a normally closed valve81 through its roller supporting plunger 82. The cam 76 carries anadjustable push rod 83 disposed in alignment with a plunger of anormally open valve 84 and a pin 85 interposed therebetween when a handlever 86 is in its normal position. The pin 85 is movably disposed in abushing-like member 87 fixed to the hand lever 86 at a position spacedfrom its pivotal support 88 so that when the hand lever 86 is actuatedout of its normal position, the pin will be moved out of registrationwith the rod 83 and the valve 84. A spring 89 normally urges the pin 85to the left (Fig. 7) to its starting or rest position.

Attention, at this time, is directed to Figs. 6 and 11, which illustratethe pneumatic system of the apparatus. A main supply line 90 for fiuid,such as air under pres sure, is connected to valve 84 and through lines91 and 92 and to valve 78. The valve 78 is connected to the unit 74through line 93, a portion 94 of which is flexible to allow movement ofthe unit 74 with the spray. unit 48. The spray unit, particularly thegun portion 68, has its line 70 connected to line 91 at 95. Attention isnow directed to a master valve 97, Figs. 1, 6 and 11, which is of acommercially known type and receives its fluid under pressure throughvalve 84 (when open) and through line 98, which includes a flow controlvalve 99- The master valve 97 has a piston-like inner structure 96formed in the conventional manner to alternately direct air underpressure from line 98 to lines 100 and 101 extending to the motor 40.The shifting of the valve or the inner portion 96 thereof to accomplishthis result and to thereby control the direction of drive of the motor16- lies upon bleeder valve 81 connected to one end of the master valve97 through line 102 and a bleeder valve 103, connected to the other endof the master valve through line 104, and have a plunger 105 under thecontrol of the hand lever 86.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus, let it be assumed thatthe carriage 33 with the mandrel: 25 are at their starting positions attheir extreme right. When in this position, the cam 46 will be at theright of the projection 67, that is, the opposite of that shown in Fig.4. The cam 76 will be' in the position shown in Fig. 6 with the valves78 and 81 closed and the normally open valve 84 closed through theaction of the plunger 83 and the pin 85 when the cam 76 and the carriagereach their extreme right position. When in this positionwitlr the valve84 closed, the fluid under pressureto the motor is cut ofl. and themandrel remains idle until an article 15 is placed thereon. During thistime, the spray unitis unoperated as the valve 78 is closed, cutting offair under pressure to the unit 74. After the article 15 is placed on themandrel, the operator need only actuate the lever 86 about its pivot 88to move the pin 85 from between the plunger 83 and the valve 84, freeingthe valve. 84 to open and admit air to the master valve 97. Actuation ofthe hand lever 86 also operates the bleeder valve 103-, opening it andholding it open a length of time sufficient to allow the master valve tofunction to direct air under pressure through the proper lines of themotor 40 so that one will be a feed line and the other an exhaust lineconnected directly to an exhaust outlet 110 of the main valve. Thisaction drives the motor to drive the mandrel 25 in .a given directionand at the same time cause axial move- .1 happeningpthe spray unit hasbeen moved clockwise from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, toposition the nozzle 71 of the spray unit beyond a perpendicular line tothe article or to the axis of the mandrel to direct the material 61 sothat it will coat or apply a satisfactory covering of a predeterminedthickness on the surface 18 and at least half of the surface 19 of thespiral groove. The shifting of .the spray unit takes place prior tooperation of unit 74, and at the time this unit is operated to actuatethe trigger 69, the article has moved so that the beginning of thesurfaces 18 and 19 of this spiral groove will receive the coatingmaterial.

The hand lever 86 may be released after the apparatus starts its cycleof operation. This cycle includes movement of the mandrel and article tothe left to coat all the convolutions of the surface 18 and portions ofthe convolutions of the surface 19. This operation continues until thediagonal surface 80 of the cam 76 engages and actuates the bleeder valve81. Prior to this time, however. the. high portion 77 of cam 76 haspassed beyond the plunger of the valve 78, allowing this valve to close,cf

- projection 67allowing the spray unit and the portion 65 thereof tomove from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4. Here itis held by the spring 63 until the motor 40 is reversed through theaction of the bleeder valve 81 to reverse the direction of movement ofthe carriage, the mandrel and the article, causing the cam 46 to shiftthe spray unit into the position shown in Fig. 5 and also the positionsshown in Figs. 1 and 2. This shifting, stopping and reversing takesplace automatically to complete the second portion of the operatingcycle and to cause spraying of the surface 17 and the remainder of thesurface 19 of each convolution of the spiral groove. This operationcontinues until the plunger 83 of the cam 76 engages the pin 85, forcingit against its spring 89 to actuate the valve 84 into closed position.This automatically shuts off the power, or air under pressure, to themotor 40, stopping it at the initial or starting position of theapparatus. This takes place subsequent to moving of the valve 78 intoclosed position to cut off air to the unit 74 to release the trigger 69to stop the spraying of the material.

It is to be understood that the above described arran'gements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other arrangements maybe readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

, What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for successively spraying material on opposing surfacesof a spiral portion of an article com prising a holder for the articlesupported for rotation about its axis and a coincident centerline of thearticle, reversible means to rotate the holder in reverse directions forspraying the respective spiral surfaces successively, a unit to spraymaterial on the surfaces successively, means to support the spray unitfor movement into different spraying positions disposed at anglesrelative to each other and the article to direct material to saidsurfaces successively, mean's'responsive to the direction of rotation ofthe holder to move the holder axially at a speed comparable to the speedof rotation of the holder and article to maintain the surface of theportion being sprayed in the path of the material from the spray unit,and means responsive to the axial movement of the holder to shift thespray unit from one spraying position to another during reversing ofsaid rotating means.

2. An apparatus for successively spraying material on opposing surfacesof a spiral portion of an article comprising a holder for the articlesupported for rotation about its axis and a coincident centerline of thearticle, reversible means to rotate the holder in reverse directions forspraying the respective spiral surfaces successively, a unit to spraymaterial on the surfaces successively, means to support the spray unitfor movement into different spraying positions disposed at anglesrelative to each other and the article to direct material to saidsurfaces successively, means responsive to the direction of rotation ofthe holder to move the holder axially at a speed comparable to the speedof rotation of the holder and article to maintain the surface of theportion being sprayed in the path of the material from the spray unit,and means responsive to the axial movement of the holder to shift thespray unit from one spraying position to another during reversing ofsaid rotating means, and to hold the spray unit against displacementduring axial movement of the holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,201,448 Edison Oct. 17, 1916 1,256,599 Schoop Feb. 19, 1918 1,690,344Pohrt Nov. 6, 1928 2,077,187 Richter Apr. 13, 1937

